A mixed bag professional sports day in the Bay Area (Niners, Giants, Raiders all win; my poor, lackluster chokasaurus A’s lost) brought a reason to stop drinking Drano and leave the house: the Doves were playing live at Slim’s. A late addition to the concert calendar, the show was only announced a few weeks back after Monday night’s show at The Fillmore sold out. More power to them, as it meant an opportunity to see the quartet in a much smaller venue. The Indian Summer day (90 degrees in SF?!??!) left the venue quite warm at 9:30, but that was nothing compared to the fiery sounds the Mancunians brought to the stage.
Although the set list was not all that much different to their show in SF in June, the new-found intimacy of a smaller venue added all sorts of intrigue. The opening notes of “Pounding,” through fellow Last Broadcast jams “There Goes The Fear” and “Words” were all as tasty as ever, augmented by the film projected across the band as they played. Treats from debut album Lost Souls were offered out, as well, as “The Cedar Room,” “Sea Song” and “Catch The Sun” all as effervescent, dreamy, and rocking, respectively, as always. By the time set closer “Spaceface” from the band’s days as techno act Sub Sub was unleashed, the asses were shaking en masse in the City By The Bay. A fine way to wrap up an (almost) fine day. Damn A’s.
Setlist from the Doves show at Slim’s, October 6, 2002:
“Pounding”
“There Goes the Fear”
“Sea Song”
“Words”
“New York”
“Rise”
“Satellites”
“Catch The Sun”
“The Last Broadcast”
“Caught By The River”
“The Cedar Room”
“The Man Who Told Everything”
“Here It Comes”
“Spaceface”
